The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-05-05

Ae1spopT company.
CHAPTER H.-CoNTINUED.
Desiree begged permission to leave
at once, and dispatched a note to the
Russian doctor asking the hospitality
of his house for the few days prior to
her return to Paris.
With this letter in his hand. the doc
tor sought Marianne, requesting her to
go in person and invite Mile. Duvois.
. Il knew this young girls mother as a
child" he added. "She loses her
place on my account, and l feel that
she has claims upon me-"
- have nothing against her coming
if she does not stay too long" an
.swered Marianne. lin any event you
are master of your own house. l hope
I shall like the girl
Il am sure of that. She resembles
her sunny-tempered mother, and will
be a genial element in our house dur
ing the long, dreary winter, if we can
only manage to keep her with Us until
spring. Ny medical work will occupy
most of my time, and you will need
some companion"
mot one of this Sort" replied
Marianne, French women are frivol-
.ous and cOquettish, and few of them
can endure well-ordered household.
If this young girl wants to help me,
will give her Il trial, though | know
she will only hinder. l will 60 and in
vito her, l want to see the much
praised furniture of those airy city
people. | would like to show the mis-
.tress of that house that other folks
have just as good right rs she to look
down upon their neighbors. The idea
of her imagining she can snub yOur'
Marianne gave her head toss and
,founced out of the room to make a
careful toilet for the proposed visit.
But she did not create the desired inn
preston. The mistress of the villa did
not appear. She deigned no excuse
save that she was not at home to visit
.ors. Marianne tried to vent her spite
against the mistress by showing great
sympathy for the govcrness, and invit-
ing her in the most urgent manner to
the doctors house. She went that
very evening. and was installed in the
garden chamber" once occupied by
her mother.
The next morning her silvery laugh
penetrated to the study, and Arnim in
voluntarily laid aside his pen. The
very voice and laugh of Hortense!
What a novel, precious, refreshing
sound in that silent house! Arnim lis
tened and felt that he should work all
the better for this laugh. Bird-songs
and flower-perfumes were pleasant
things. 1t was delightful to hear some
music other than the jingling of Ma
rianne's keys, some tones different
from those severe ones in which she
lectured the servants, or her plaintive
wailings over the high price of provis-
ions and the ineficiency of Kathe and
Ivan.
Desiree gave the conversation an
other turn. For the first time in Ar
MINIS bachelor life young girl formed
part of his domestic establishment.
''She viii bother you to DEATH" Mari
anne had prophesied. 'She will turn
the house upside down. These young
girls are always leaving their things
about. They never put any thing back
in the right place. l only hope you
may not repent your kindness.
Could a fresh rosebud disarrange
these rooms? Desiree seemed to fill
the old house with that sweetest of
aromas-the rosy perfume of youth.
While Arnim showed her every place
over which the feet of Hortense had
tripped in those dear old days, while
den the familiar trees whose boughs
had rustled over that sunny head,
tide of youth seemed to course through
his own veins. With deep emotion he
received from Desiree's hands her
mothers German exercise book and
his own copy of the Eichendorf poem.
At last, as in dream, he held in his
hands the ball which in so untoward a
manner had led to their acquaintance
ship. This poor object existed still;
but where was she, the bright, joyous
creature. his first and only love?
Desiree told him how her father
ill-luck and the treachcry of
Others, had lost his own fortune and
that of her grandfather. Some mad
'vertent hints satisfied the doctor that
Hortense had married a gambler whose
career had ended in suicide.
With fearful eyes the young girl
dwell upon her mother, and the life.
happy in spite of all its trials, they had
passed together. With bated breath
she described the slow dying-out of
that always fragile existence-of the
great TRANSPORTED ewes, of the final
falling asleep, which had been painless
II E!,--t.-